Author Topic: Fave Books / Currently Reading  (Read 947146 times)

buffcoat

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #645 on: May 14, 2009, 09:32:06 PM »
I'm reading Will Cuppy's "The Decline and Fall of Practically Everybody."  Hilarious.  He takes real (?) facts (?) from history and just skewers everyone, starting with the Egyptians and making it through to Colonial times.

It's remarkably risque and pointed, given the fact that it was published in the early 50s.  Good stuff!

http://books.google.com/books?id=6y_KcpjsFpQC&dq=Will+Cuppy&printsec=frontcover&source=an&hl=en&ei=oMQMSsvbNKCm8QS0-9jQDw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4#PPA39,M1
I really don't appreciate your sarcastic, anti-comedy tone, Bro!

fonpr

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #646 on: May 14, 2009, 10:49:07 PM »
'The Drunkard's Walk'
 In The Drunkard's Walk, acclaimed writer and scientist Leonard Mlodinow shows us how randomness, change, and probability reveal a tremendous amount about our daily lives. By exposing the true nature of chance and the psychological illusions that cause us to misjudge the world around us, Mlodinow provides the tools we need to make more informed decisions.

Leonard Mlodinow (PhD University of California-Berkeley) teaches about randomness to future scientists at Caltech. He has written for the television series MacGyver and Star Trek: The Next Generation. Previous books include Euclid's Window: The Story of Geometry from Parallel Lines to Hyperspace, Feynman's Rainbow: A Search for Beauty in Physics and in Life, and, with Stephen Hawking, A Briefer History of Time.


Wonderful book, a little math heavy (HEY DAVE), but really encourages one to acquire a basic understanding of probability theory.

BONUS:
Gave me something to admire about Marilyn vos Savant.  A high IQ means nothing unless it comes with integrity.
She's got it.
"Like it or not, Florida seems dedicated to a 'live fast, die' way of doing things."

Keith Whitener

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #647 on: May 14, 2009, 10:54:19 PM »
The Handmaid's Tale. It's pretty suspenseful!

Regular Joe

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #648 on: May 15, 2009, 07:52:08 PM »
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle. Bar none the most depressing book I've ever read. Reminiscent of Catcher in the Rye, which I hated. Still, I can't put it down!

nec13

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #649 on: May 23, 2009, 06:27:00 PM »
Is there anyone here that has read or is currently reading the book "Nixonland," by Rick Perlstein? If there is, I would be interested to hear your thoughts because I am thinking about checking it out from the library. Because it is 700 pages long, I want to know if it would be worth my time to read it. The literary scribes seem to love it.
Nobody ever lends money to a man with a sense of humor.

Bryan

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #650 on: May 23, 2009, 06:43:59 PM »
I just started "Filthy Lucre: Economics for People who Hate Capitalism". I'm only about 40 pages in, but so far I love it.

JonFromMaplewood

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #651 on: May 23, 2009, 07:03:45 PM »


I haven't read any books like this since I was a teenager reading Alan Dean Foster novelizations of R-rated movies I couldn't get in to see.  But a friend mailed me a copy and said it was a blast, so why not?
"I'm riding the silence like John Cage up in this piece." -Tom Scharpling

Joe Rogaine

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #652 on: May 23, 2009, 08:34:44 PM »
Anybody ever read The Moviegoer i just bought it and was wondering if it was any good?

hugman

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #653 on: May 23, 2009, 08:45:37 PM »
Paul Feig's SUPERSTUD was a superdud. I've never seen such a collection of awful similes. "my heart was pounding like a loan shark beating on a deadbeats door." ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww berrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrother.

Matt

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #654 on: May 23, 2009, 11:57:19 PM »
Is there anyone here that has read or is currently reading the book "Nixonland," by Rick Perlstein? If there is, I would be interested to hear your thoughts because I am thinking about checking it out from the library. Because it is 700 pages long, I want to know if it would be worth my time to read it. The literary scribes seem to love it.

I didn't get to read it all, but what I read, I loved. His earlier book about Barry Goldwater didn't do as much for me, but Nixonland really is exceptional.
It ain't ego, it's my love for you.

nec13

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #655 on: May 24, 2009, 12:05:54 AM »
Thank you Matt.
Nobody ever lends money to a man with a sense of humor.

jbissell

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #656 on: May 24, 2009, 12:13:09 AM »
Paul Feig's SUPERSTUD was a superdud. I've never seen such a collection of awful similes. "my heart was pounding like a loan shark beating on a deadbeats door." ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww berrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrother.

You didn't like the time when he tried to blow himself?

wood and iron

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #657 on: May 24, 2009, 01:03:26 AM »
Just finished Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy. I liked No Country for Old Men and thought that The Road was super over-rated (seriously, every time something interesting pops up the guy and his kid just walk around it, which is more realistic but doesn't really make too interesting a story) but after reading the book most call his masterpiece I have finally jumped on the bandwagon of Cormac McCarthy. The character of the judge is so indelible and there quite a few tableaux from the novel I can't get out of my head.

He does come off like a complete prick in interviews and such.

A.M. Thomas

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #658 on: May 24, 2009, 03:03:17 AM »
Shit, I loved The Road so much.  I love it's simplicity.

I'm reading a book about clouds.  It's called The Book of Clouds.  Mammatus clouds rule!






I'm not a chicken,  you're a turkey.

DoodleJump!

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #659 on: May 24, 2009, 03:54:56 PM »
I am reading The Road right now as a matter of fact. Haven't gotten very far yet, though.

Someone just checked this out at the library! : "How the Japs Fight"
I can't find it anywhere online, otherwise I'd post a pic of the cover.
"Enough with the bandana, already." -Trace Atkins to Donald Trump